I too have the Pazzles Inspiration and it definitely has a learning curve. But for me, it was worth it. The thought of all those Cricut cartridges gave me hives, and I wasn't interested in waiting to purchase SCAL so I didn't void my warranty since these things are all man-made and you never know when something can go wrong. The one thing I love about my Pazzles is that I can see exactly where the machine is going to cut so I can make adjustments as needed. I like that it cuts 12x12 up to 12x24. I like that I can get image cd's for $25 or less without waiting for a sale. I like that I can create my own thing when I feel like it. Then there are the other features available with the purchase of certain accessories - embossing up to 12x12, engraving on acrylic, drawing...
If you can, I think you should definitely play with as many as possible before you make a decision. Some machines have a larger upfront cost, but turn out to cost less to operate long term. Some are less expensive but end up costing more over time in accessories. Only you know what will work best for your budget and your crafting style.